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IMPROVEMENT IN INDIA-RUBBER-GUVBRED UMZBBELLAS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY C'ONCERN: A y p Beit known that I, JAMES H. WALKER, of Bergen, in the county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented, made7 and applied to use, a certain new and useful Improvement in India-Rubber Umbrellas and I `do hereby declare "the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing making part of this specication, wherein I-have shown aplan view of-my said improvement.

Umbrellas heretofore made have not been wateriproofg' in heavy rains,`the water beats through the woven fabric composing such umbrella, andthe same becomes saturated, and lthe water runs from the same for a long while4 after being stood aside to dry. Besides this,.the rain washes out the coloring matter,'leaving the fabric of a faded'appearance, and the alternate wetting and drying soon rots the covering; besides this, the steel ribs, stretchers, and wires, are quickly rusted out, in consequence'of the dampness to which they are exposed. 'Eiforts have been made to remedythese difficulties by the use of a Coveringof sheet rubber, but the same has to beof a quality that will stretch to the shape of the umbrella when open the rubber is heavy, expensive, easily torn, and not of an attractive or acceptable appearance. The nature of my said invention consists in acOvering for umbrellas formed of a woven fabric, rendered water-proof1 by a coating of Indiarubber, which also aids iny uniting the sectionsiof said fabric composingA the covering. This umbrella covering is a new article of manufacture, andovercomes all the objections before enumerated.' I take silk, or any other strong woven-fabric not too heavy, and of the'desired color; I coat the same with India rubber, by any ofthe known methods, and out it out in sections ofthe proper size and shape, and unite those edges by means of India-rubber cement. Sewing may also be resorted to, and the India rubber is to be cured or vulcanized, to prevent its sticking, surface to surface, when the umbrella i's rolled up. The mode of manufacturing the India-rubber fabric and curing the sameis similar to that employed in making ilat sheets of India-rubber cloth, and does not requireany farther description, the same being well known, and I'remark that the water-proof fabric may b e cured or vulcanized in the lat sheets, or, if desired, after the edges ofthe sections have been united by cement.' The cover thus formed is to be applied as usual to the umbrella frame, andA isan eil'ec'tual water-proof covering, that protects the person when in use, retains scarcely any water,.h ence will not continue to run when closed, and will dry quickly, and completely protects the frame from injury by rust.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, i`s-'- The India-rubber umbrella covering, formed in the' manner specified, as anew article of manufacture.

In witness whereofl I have hereunto-set my signature this 9th dayI of April, A. D. 1866.

JAS.' H. WALKER.

Witnessesi Guo. D. WALKER, CnAs. H. SMITH. 

